


The Ghost and Mr. Lawrence

by Sinesthero



Category: Borderlands, Borderlands (Video Games), Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Dirty Talk, M/M, Masterbation, More tags to follow, Road Trip, plotting vengence, together but apart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2018-07-22 19:13:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7450804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinesthero/pseuds/Sinesthero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The A.I. Handsome Jack and his long time lover, Timothy, are reunited as the Helios station starts to crash. Though they are together, Jack's intangible state leaves them unable to touch each other. After getting stranded on Pandora, Timothy and Jack have to find a way to make it to Opportunity where they might stand a chance of getting Jack back into a body.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

There was no question about it. Helios was doomed.

Timothy Lawrence could feel the massive space station shudder as it was violently pulled towards the surface of that hated planet Pandora. As soon as he saw Jack’s face briefly appear on all the monitors in their apartment he had gone to his computer to try to get the digital man’s attention. Thus far, he had been unsuccessful and now, for some reason, Helios was going down.

Cursing loudly, Tim typed frantically at the terminal’s keyboard. “Jack. Jack you asshole! Answer me!” Never before had he regretted not learning more about computers than he did right now.

The strange image of his departed lover blipped onto his monitor again. He appeared all translucent and blue, like the digitized versions of himself he had given Tim to use in combat so many years ago.

“Timothy,” Jack’s large, expressive eyes widened. “Baby, Oh man! I am so glad to see that you’re alright, Kitten. Holy shit, you look different.”

Leave it to whatever this version of Jack was to be concerned at such a time with how different his body double appeared. Tim no longer wore the mask that made him his partner’s exact double. The very bolts that held it in place had been removed, leaving pink, scarred flesh in their place. As he was quite a bit younger than his lover, he had always had to dye in the streaks of gray in his otherwise brown hair. With Jack absent, he had stopped doing so. It had also been cut into a short spiky, style. A neatly trimmed beard and moustache had grown on his face, the beard being kept long enough so that it covered over and obscured the scar where the chin clamp once was.

“What the fuck, Jack?” Timothy’s green and blue eyes were wide in shock, “What’s going on? And why did you give that asshole control of Hyperion?”

“No time, Pumpkin.” Jack shook his head seriously, “You need to get off this thing. Like, yesterday. Take the drop ship and go to Pandora now or you’re not going to make it.”

Timothy’s head started to shake in horror, “Not without you… not without the Admiral! Jack he’s down in R & D. I gotta go get him. I can’t leave him!”

“Timmy, Timmy, Darling… Pumpkin… if you don’t go now you are going to die. And I need you to live.” Jack’s voice was commanding, authoritative. “I know you love the Admiral, but you have to go.”

“And what about you?” Timothy asked, horror and pain mingled with his question. “You’re… in the station. If it goes down… I’ll lose you again.” His voice raised into a shout, “I’m not losing you again!”

Jack’s eyes narrowed into a dark look of anger and disgust, “Baby, I gotta teach this little pissant who defied me a lesson about what happens when you don’t obey Handsome Jack.”

“No!” Timothy said, too angry to realize the irony of defying the man who just threatened to punish someone else for defying him. “You came here in his head… you can… download yourself into a portable drive. I have… I have one here somewhere. I have to leave the Admiral… I won’t leave without you!” He fell to the floor as the station lurched again.

Jack voice was heavy with frustration and capitulation, “Alright… you win… if it will get you to leave. Download me… and grab your damn watch. You’re going to need the digi jacks to survive down there. You’re probably rusty as hell.”

After pulling himself back to his feet Timothy ransacked through the drawers at his computer trying to find the driver. The watch he already had. He never stopped wearing it. Even being ‘Upper Management’ at Hyperion did not make him feel safe enough to forgo wearing his most prized possession.

“Hurry, Kitten. C’mon now!” Jack said, pressuring him. He sounded afraid, though Tim knew the fear was more for him than it was for himself.

“Got it,” Tim pumped his fist in triumph and inserted the end of the driver into the circular computer port. “Get your digital ass in there and I’m out.”

“Listen. Head to Opportunity.” Jack touched his large blue hand to his virtual lips and blew a kiss before the monitor went dark.

Timothy stuffed the portable hard drive in his pocket and dashed off for Jack’s private drop ship, stopping only to collect his portable computer. Tears distorted his vision as he ran. There was relief at getting the rumored AI Jack in his possession at long last, as well as grief at the thought of leaving behind his sweet, yellow tabby cat: Admiral Flufferton.

As the small craft glided smoothly towards the surface of Pandora, Timothy wept for the loss of his home and pet before things inexplicably went dark and he lost consciousness.


	2. Rude Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Timothy and the digital ghost of Handsome Jack share a brief reunion while Tim takes stock of their situation.

   
  
---  
  
It was hot and dark when consciousness slowly returned to Timothy. The doppelganger’s head was ringing and sore and he felt a dizzy urge to throw up. For a long moment, he struggled to recall where he was and why.

The memory soon hit him that Helios was gone and with that terrible realization came a stab of emotional pain at the overwhelming nature of the loss. His home of six years and everything he had known in that time was now gone.

The drop ship. He was in the drop ship still. Groping around in the dimness and could feel the controls along with the empty seat that was to be Jack’s. If they ever had to escape, it was supposed to be together.

“Jack.” He said the name out loud and his fingers into his pocket. The drive felt undamaged and he breathed out a great sigh of relief.

Both of his large hands went to his face and he rubbed at this eyes and temples and took in some deep and calming breaths. Past experience made him reasonably certain that he had a concussion, but there wasn’t anything really to be done about that. Or maybe there was.

The dropship was a far larger and better prepared vessel than the escape pods that so many Hyperion employees used to escape their otherwise grisly fate. Though the cockpit itself was not large, there was a considerable storage compartment that was kept full of food and supplies.

It was meant to be a bug out Vehicle for two tightly packed individuals to survive and glide to a safe location in the event of a Helios crash or other catastrophic event. He honestly never thought he would have to use it, not when Jack was alive and certainly not now. Nonetheless, here he was.

Tim’s blue and green eyes were becoming adjusted to the low light emitted from LEDs in the console when he heard a sound. It started out faint and grew louder. It sounded like an engine, a vehicle of some sort coming close. It came to a stop nearby. Doors could be heard opening and then slamming closed.

Timothy’s empty hands groped around in the dimness for a gun. He knew this thing had guns in it somewhere. Jack would never have a bug out vehicle that wasn’t packed with guns and ammo.

A crazed voice screamed something made indistinct by the thickness of the hull of the small craft.

Tim fumbled in the dark, remembering before anything else he had to get himself unstrapped from his seat, but the mechanism appeared jammed and would not release. He could not reach the guns and could not get out of his seat.

When the small door at the rear side of the craft began to be cut with some sort of electric saw, Tim really started to panic. Back when he was out working, it was customary for him to carry a knife in his boot. However, as he had been sitting on the couch watching a terrible movie when things went down, he was lucky he even had any shoes on.

“Shit shit shit shit shit…” Tim whisper to himself as he frantically struggled against his the safety belt. He clicked the mechanism repeatedly trying to make the cursed thing release.

The door was thick, it would take them time to get through. He felt around in his pockets looking for anything that could help him.

A feeling of relief flooded through him as he pushed the button to summon his digital Jacks to free him and take care of the filthy Pandoran scum attempting to steal his gear.

“Who needs a hero?” The first said as it materialized. It had been such a long time since he had summoned them that it almost took his breath away at the strength of the memories that washed over him as he looked at them. They looked like Jack when they first met, but there was no time for wistful memories now. In the cramped space, the blue tinted digital Jacks both had to crouch.

“Free me,” Tim shouted and held out the seat belt away from his body enough to make a several inch gap between himself and the belt. “And kill those bandit fucks before they kill me… or rape me… or eat me!”  
The first ghostly double raised its arm laser and shot quickly through the seatbelt, severing it neatly. The other simply disappeared into blue pixel like fragments. The sound of screaming immediately followed, indicating that he was handling the situation outside. The second followed suit and soon things were quiet again.

Tim pulled the severed belt out of the loops as quickly as he could and scrambled out of the seat making cure to crouch to avoid hitting his head again. Adding to the general nausea he felt from the concussion, he became weak from suddenly standing after being seated so long. He slumped back onto the chair for a moment and concentrated on not blacking out again.

The digital Jacks reappeared by his side and stayed quietly. He dismissed them with a push of the button. There was no way to know if he would need them again soon. The next time he stood he was more steady.

The double wasted no time in opening up the storage compartment behind the seating. There were several black duffel bags inside alongside the small computer he had stashed there before taking off. Each of the bags bore no marking of corporate loyalty or ownership. He opened them up in succession until he found the one with the guns.

“Ha ha! Jackpot,” Tim said to himself as he quickly strapped a pistol on to his hip and slung an SMG over his shoulder. These were, of course, Hyperion weapons. He zipped the bag back up again.

Next he went looking for the first aid kit. Instead he found the protein bars and a bunch of bottles of water. Feeling suddenly starved in spite of the nausea he tore into one and forced himself to eat it and washed it down with the water. Next he found some sort of clothing and finally he came upon the first aid kit next to a neatly packaged clear packed brick of white powder.  
He opened it up the kit, it was jam packed with a large number of medical supplies. The most important one was the med hypo. He jammed it in his thigh and pushed the plunger. His eyes closed briefly and he hummed in relief as the pain seemed to evaporate. He found he could focus again.

Knowing it would probably not be long before more bandits came he stuffed the computer in with the clothing, grabbed two of the bags and stepped to the door. He unsealed it to find it was still dark. Thankfully, the Pandoran night was long.

The digi jacks had done a fine job. There were four bandits laying dead on the ground in their vault symbol covered masks. One was a psycho with a horrible white mask. Two of them were clean headshots.  
Their vehicle sat four people with only a front facing weapon. It would have to do. Locating the keys quickly on one of the bandits he pocketed them and swiftly hauled the duffel bags into the back seat. When all of them were out of the dropship, he jumped behind the wheel. He turned the key and drove towards opportunity.

When it seemed safe enough and he felt far enough away from the falling debris, the former double pulled off next to an outcropping of rock and parked. Timothy turned off the lights before reaching into the back seat to locate the bag with the laptop.

Eagerly, he fired up the computer. With a trembling hand he typed in his passcode before plugging the portable data drive into the circular port. The monitor seemed to dim and flicker before Jack’s ghostly blue image appeared on the screen in front of his rows of icons.

“Where am I? What is this? A computer?” Jack asked, sounding both bored and annoyed.

“Yes, a computer,” Tim replied, “It was one of the few things I was able to grab. I needed to be sure I could communicate with you.”

“Great. I’m a laptop now. Like that fucking paper clip. Hah.” He looked at one of the icons and flicked at it with his fingertips before saying in a stiff robotic voice, “Do you need help using Hyperion Office Suite?”

For Timothy, it was no time for jokes. It had been, all in all, the worst day since Jack had died. He disliked how nasal wavering his voice sounded as he demanded. “Are you even you?” His mismatched eyes searched the monitor. It hurt to even hope that this blue tinted code was really the digital soul of lover. The large mismatched eyes softened as he whispered, “It seems like you…”

“Of course it’s me… maybe not… in the flesh me… but I’m all here, Princess. And everything that happened after that wierdo Nakayama copied my brain waves, or whatever he did, I got when I was in the Helios Mainframe. It’s me…”

“Don’t princess me. I’m still pissed at you. I hate that nickname anyway,” Timothy’s voice was cold and distant. His severe brows were knit together and his eyes narrowed.

“What did I do?” Jack frowned, looking wounded by this lackluster reunion. In truth, he had been hoping for quite a bit more adoration and excitement at his digital presence.

“You died!” Tim exclaimed while throwing up both hands. “You died because you were so full of rage and stupidity that you did _exactly_ what I told you _not_ to do and you left me alone. It’s been a year! A _year_ without you, Jack.”

The image of Jack on the screen frowned and his face became larger like he was leaning closer, “Look… I’m sorry… I made a bad call.  I _know_ that now. Who knew the warrior would turn out to be such a Goddamn pussy. “His eyes rolled at the thought.” Killed by bandits… _sooooo_ disappointing… but check it out we’re together now. We’re going to get to Opportunity and we’ll find something better than your computer to stick me into.” A smirk came over his lips, “I know what I miss sticking myself into.”

Timothy tried to remain angry looking but his lips turned to a wry smile before his look hardened again, “I’m serious. You were dead. Do you know what that was like for me? I mean you _are_ dead…” His lips screwed up and his brow furrowed again. “Jack this is _so weird_.”

“I know… I’m going to make it _all_ up to you, Kiddo. I swear…” His large, expressive eyes appeared loving and soft before he became filled with rage again, “and we are going to rip that smug little fucker that crashed _my_ space station a new asshole before we drain the light out if his stupid… squinty…. code monkey eyes! I can’t believe he’d betray me like that. I did everything for that kid!”

Timothy’s jaw set and the edge of his lip curled in grief fueled fury, “I’m going to kill him… with my bare hands.” In that moment he sounded just like his lover before he let the sorrow return. “He killed the Admiral, Jack… I just… I can’t believe he’s gone.”

Though of a much sweeter nature than his lover, time spent in Jack’s company over so many years had fueled his darker side. The only people he wanted to kill more than this asshole who crashed Helios were the Vault Hunters that killed Angel and the original Jack.

“Yeah, yeah, I know…” Jack murmured comfortingly, “But Pumpkin, I _promise_ you… when we get things back to how they should be… I’ll drown you in all the pussy you want.”

Tim’s voice sounded dry as he looked askance at the monitor, “Ok now I’m _sure_ it _is_ you. You literally only said that to make that joke.”

Jack moved back from the monitor to give Tim the double finger guns. “I told you. It’s all me.”

“Okay, so we have to get serious… I don’t want to stay stopped long.” The doppelganger leaned his long form over the seat to rummage through the several bags he transferred out of the dropship. So we have… some clothes, protein bars, water, weapons and a first aid kit with some unnecessarily heavy painkillers.”

Jack says, “Don’t forget about the kilo of blow.”

Tim eyed the plastic wrapped sack of white powder, “Are you _kidding_ me? I thought that was flour. Why would you waste space on that?”

“Waste? I figured if we had to bug out I didn’t want to be bored out of my mind. You’ve been on this planet, sweet cheeks, you know what a hell hole most of this place is.”

“Well I’m tossing that then…” Tim said with a roll of his eyes.

“Shit no. I mean, It could be useful. You can barter with it… maybe.”

“I can’t talk to anyone even or I’ll get shot. Your face isn’t really popular down here.”

“Ungrateful bandit trash,” Jack grumbled. “Good thing you have that whole gay-porn beard going on. That is going to come in _real_ handy.”

“Yeah but my eyes are a dead giveaway… wait… I know…” He grabs the bag filled with clothing and opened it to look through it. “Perfect…” There were two simple brown leather jackets, one for each of them, in theory. He put the one on. It was unadorned by any Hyperion logo; intended for such a time when advertising a connection with Hyperion would be a poor idea.

He leaned over the seat again to open the first aid kit to take the emergency shears out of the first aid kit. He starts cutting away at the leather of the unnecessary second jacket.

Jack said nothing and seemed distracted by his present environment as Tim cut a circle out of the leather.  Jack’s voice coming through the speakers finally broke the quiet as he said vast amusement, “Hey! I think someone _missed_ me. I’m seeing an _awful_ lot of doppelganger porn on here, Kitten.  Hah! Jackin’ Off Jacks Volume IV. Jack Ass Attack? Handsome Handjobs?” His laughter boomed through the speakers.

A dark look came over Tim’s face as his lover ribbed him, “Hey! Fuck _you_ . I was lonely. I never would have downloaded that garbage if you were alive… They aren’t even half the actors that I am… but I didn’t have _you_. I was lonely as hell… with only Mr. Blake and the Admiral for company!”

“I know, Pumpkin… but you gotta admit… it’s kinda funny… I wonder if Jimmy made it off the station.”

Tim shook his head and corrected Jack, “Jeffrey… and I don’t know. I don’t want to try to echo him. I’d prefer for us not to advertise our presence until we get to Opportunity where we at least should have some Loaders and such to work with for protection. To my knowledge he was on the station. I had talked to him just earlier that day.”

Tim finished cutting out the circle and he set it aside.  He resumed cutting, now making a long strip of the leather. He held it over his head to make certain it would fit him. The needle and thread from the first aid kit were grabbed and the doppelganger threaded the needle with ease.

Jack looked around the borders of the laptop like he were taking in the surroundings, “It’s a damn shame we weren’t able to glide closer to opportunity, but at least you got this piece of bandit trash to drive us. Hey...uh... how… did you get this piece of bandit trash?”

With a sigh, Tim said, “It was actually good luck. They came, just the few of them to scavenge the vehicle and I was able to deploy the Digi’s who dispatched of them quickly. They weren’t expecting that.”

Jack laughed, “Oh I wish I could have seen that…” his eyes seemed to brighten in the way they always did in life when he talked about killing bandits.  “I have an idea… Sweetheart. So when you’re done doing arts and crafts… I’ve got a project for us.”

“We can’t stay here long. I just need to get this eyepatch sewn up very quick so we can get driving again.”

“Eyepatch. Good idea… Since when do you sew?” Jack's head tilted to one side.

“Since always.” the doppelganger sounded mildly put out. “I told you, I was into theater.”

“I didn't forget. C’mon, It's me. I don't forget important stuff like that… but how does that equal… wife shit like sewing?”

Timothy’s eyes rolled as he folded over the edges of the leather and started stitching along the outside to form a typical shield shaped eye patch. “There are costumes that needed to be maintained… things like that. In college I did a little bit of everything for our theater.”

Jack grinned and raised one brow, “Jack of all trades?”

Tim chortled, “Yeah... I sewed all those little patches on your stupid sweater, after all.”

Jack’s eyes seemed both pleased and pained at the same time. His eyebrows lifted and his lips parted a moment before he spoke, “That… was you, Pumpkin? I always thought you had the laundry chick do that.”

“It was me.” Tim whispered, pausing in his sewing to look Jack in the eyes, “I've missed you, you son of a bitch.”

“Ahhh Timmy, _Gorgeous_. I’m sorry for everything. I could kick myself for not having a body because I want to hold you so bad right now. And fuck you, obviously.”

Tim cracked a wide grin and laughed getting back to his sewing, “Going to be a bit, I think, before we get there. What’s the project.”

Jack clapped his hands together on the monitor, “Okay so… in theory… if you can follow instructions… I can teach you how to replace the digi Jacks in the watch with… me.”

Tim frowned, “But won’t that mean you’ll have to recharge twenty minutes after every… what… ten minutes?”

Jack's now appeared as though he were floating across the screen, occasionally bouncing off the corners like a screen saver. “Yeah… but.. You need someone to help protect you and… come on… I can’t stay in this laptop forever. If I’m in the watch I’m on your person… no worries about not being able to grab the laptop before you have to run… we don’t know what we’re going to face.”

With a reluctant nod, Tim said, still hand stitching, “Alright… alright we’ll do it… but only after we drive some more. We need to move as much as we can while it's dark.” After a pause he looked at the monitor again. “What if I fuck it up and… ruin you, or the watch… or both?”

Jack said, “You won’t. You’re brilliant and you have someone even more brilliant to teach you.”

Tim glanced over and smiled faintly, “Nothing is going to tear us apart again.”

Jack nodded. “Nothing. You know, there's gonna come a time when we look back on all of this and laugh… but first we got _a_ _lot_ of people to kill.”

 


	3. Together Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Timothy transfers Jack's digital consciousness into his watch they can finally talk face to face. Jack wants to kiss and make up, but Timothy is haunted by more than just the AI of his dead lover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is still progressing. I know it's a shocker. My update schedule is non existent. I'm sorry for that. <3

 

Hours passed as Timothy drove South for the city of Opportunity. The wreckage of Helios went on for miles before the canyons stopped showing signs of the debris.

The home-made eyepatch Tim wore was flipped up for the moment to allow him to drive more effectively across the sandy wastes, in and out of strange canyons. Occasionally he would have to backtrack- the way blocked by debris from the wreckage or nasty wildlife but he got around without drawing much attention. The dark would not last forever and Timothy wanted to get somewhere where he could rest before daylight lit up the landscape.

It was three hours into driving and searching before Tim came upon a cave large enough to hide the vehicle from overhead view. Pandoran caves were notoriously full of dangerous creatures, but Tim knew he could handle those easier than groups of armed bandits. He kept his fingers on his forward weapons while he carefully pulled in.

The cave was not particularly deep. He made sure to shine the lights at their brightest into the mouth to at least rouse anything that might be hiding there. It seemed empty enough.

It took him a while to maneuver but he parked the vehicle such that it almost entirely blocked the opening of the cave with the guns facing out. There was still room to slip in on the side or over the gun turret.  As a precaution he put up trip line extending from one side of the bumper to the side of the cave. A bit of chain from the tactical was rigged so that it would shake against itself if the trip line was triggered.

The precious laptop where what was left of Handsome Jack remained had been turned off, saving its power for whatever instructions Jack would have to give to get his programming installed on the watch.

Tim first took a more thorough inventory of all of the supplies he had; in addition to the things he had found earlier he noted that one of the duffel bags contained two bedrolls. Another contained a set of tools from auto-repair essentials to small sets of screwdrivers and a couple of electric lanterns. He was most relieved to find a small bag of toiletries.

The first of the bedrolls was unzipped into its largest form and used it to cover the front of the technical as best he could. It was weighted down with rocks to prevent it from blowing away.

The other bedroll was set up on the ground at the slight incline towards the back of the cave. Everything he would need for his project was laid nearby: The laptop, lantern, tools, a protein bar, and a water bottle.

After a double check of all his safety preparations, Timothy settled on his bedroll and ate in hurried silence. Though eager to get to the project before he got too tired,  he needed to eat something before he could concentrate. The taste of the meal bar left something to be desired but it was at least somewhat sweet and very filling.

When his head no longer felt like it was swimming, he powered up the laptop and put in his passcode. Jack was waiting for him.

“Heeeey Pumpkin,” Jack beamed, his face consuming most of  the screen as if he were close to a camera, “I’d ask if you missed me but I know you did.”

“We don’t have a lot of battery power, Jack… Tell me what I need to do.” Timothy said with annoyance at Jack’s lack of urgency. He had no time for such shenanigans.  

“Fine fine fine.” Jack’s eyes rolled. “You always were a stick in the mud. Here’s what you need to do.”

It seemed relatively simple. Tim just needed to open up the back panel on the watch and disengage a small chip from within it. That had to be replaced with the chip from inside the thumb drive. That was the tricky part. He had to open up the drive without damaging the chip inside.

The Instructions given, Jack smiled at him reassuringly from the screen and added in a soothing voice, “You won’t fail me. I know it ‘cuz you’re a hero like me.” Winking, he retreated back into the thumb drive to wait for his transfer to the new vessel.

It was chilly- cold even as Timothy started his work. He focused all the light he could on his painfully unergonomic work space before he opened up the back of the watch using one of the smaller screw drivers from the tool kit. He left the watch’s chip where it was and set it aside while he opened up the thumb drive containing all that remained to the world of Handsome Jack.

Timothy’s heart was beating hard against his chest and his large fingers shook faintly at the delicate work. He removed the digi-jack-coded chip oh-so-carefully and rested it on his bedroll before transferring the Jack A. I. to the watch. The panel was replaced and Tim stared at the watch as he took a deep breath. He secured it back onto his wrist and finished replacing the digi-jack coded chip into the thumb drive. When Jack was restored to him in the flesh, he would want those digital copies back.

Once the drive was safe in his pocket, he held his breath and activated the watch.

Squares of light burst from nothingness, shifting and glitching until Jack’s holographic form appeared beside him, stretched out on one elbow in an alluring reclined pose. “Hey there, Cupcake.” He had his biggest bedroom eyes on full power.

Tim reached out to touch him but knew that he could not- not really. The holographic projection was not fully corporeal. There was an intense sensation of electricity like being shocked that made him pull his hand away like he’d been burned. “Jack.” His face fell, his heart hurting more than his fingers.

“Yeah… no… touchy. Sadly.” Jack sat up, also cross legged and stared back at his double.

Tim carefully returned each item to the tool kit, “Nice escape plan, by the way. You thought of everything… I don’t understand why you had that prepared. You were always so self assured. It seems like admitting a weakness.”

Jack shrugged, “Some pretty wild things has happened on Helios, sometimes even a hero has to bail.”

“Yeah…” Timothy agreed and looked away, feeling uncomfortable with the emotions he was feeling.

“I can’t help but notice… you still have the voice modulator in.” Jack observed, staring at him unblinking, “Has it gotten less painful?”

“No… Never.” Timothy’s eyes closed a long moment. “But you know, What? Sounding like you is sounding like me... now. I don't remember what I even sounded like. It was nice to still be able to hear your voice, even if it was just me talking to the Admiral.” His teeth gritted and he said, “You have no idea how hard it's been.”  

Jack’s digital form looked away too. “I’m sorry, Timmy, for losing the Admiral and the station. That little fucking prick. Fucking Rhys.” Pixilated fists balled in rage and his eyes blazed yellow. “I did everything for that pathetic little boot licker and he betrayed me. They all betray me in the end. Everyone but you.”

Timothy’s eyed turned steely and he grimly nodded, “Prick’s got a world of pain coming to him, Jackie, but he’s not the one who killed you.”

“Of course he’s not the one that.” Jack squinted, “What… you’re mad at me for dying, too? Well I am just so sorry that I was murdered, Princess.”

The body double’s voice was acid now, “Of course I’m mad at you for dying, you absolute dick! All for your precious goddamn Warrior. What a weak ass piece of garbage he turned out to be. You got yourself killed by a bunch of trashy, asshole vault hunters… but what’s worse… is that you got Nisha and Angel killed by them, too.”

Jack’s ghostly hands reached out and grabbed at Tim’s shoulders.

Tim gritted his teeth, feeling the jolt of electric pain where Jack’s fingers seemed to hold him. He watched Jack with a baleful glare.

“Whatever I am, Tim... whatever echo or memory or program that I am, I was not the one who got my baby girl killed. Meat Jack really fucked some shit up, I’m aware of that. But don’t blame me. I was fucking code in Naki-whatever’s lab.”

“Yes, Sir,” Tim said bitterly. The blue hands released him and he looked away, rubbing sullenly at the place where the hologram had touched him.

Where threats didn’t work, Jack tried wheedling, “Don’t do that baby, Come on… I’m sorry I died… I know it's been hard on you. I haven’t exactly been having a jolly old time. Stuck in that toadie’s brain. You have every right to be angry.”

“I’m glad I have your permission.” Tim added sarcastically.

“Jeeeeze Timbo, you used to be so sweet.” Jack was definitely displeased to not receive the welcome he was sure he deserved. “What the hell happened to you?”

“You.” Tim said and turned away to wiggle into his bed roll.

“You know what? I’m going back in the watch. You take some time to calm yourself down or whatever.” He blipped out, leaving a brief, shifting pattern of blue pixels in the air.

Timothy grit his teeth together and forced himself into deep nasal breathing to calm himself down. The last thing he wanted to do was cry. The past few years had nearly drowned him in tears. He spent a long time just laying there with his eyes closed before he fell asleep.  
After about six hours, he rose and broke down his makeshift camp. Still wounded inside, he avoided using the watch as he ate and packed.

Tim was on the road a few hours when he finally felt in a place where he could mentally handle talking to his undead lover again. He took in a deep breath and held it while he pushed the button on the watch.

Jack appeared in the seat beside him and looked at him, “It’s so boring in there... nothing to do but just think.”

“You told me to calm down. It took me a while to do.” Tim said simply.

“Yeah, alright,” Jack said. He seemed remorseful. Nearly a full minute passed in silence before he continued, “I really am sorry, Timothy. I didn’t mean for this to hurt you. When I got the kid to take me up to Helios I was just thinking about getting back to you. I had no idea the he’d betray me… and make the whole sation fall from the sky to kill me or I’d never have connected to the station. I love you. I loved Helios, too.”

“I love you too,” Tim glanced from the route he drove to look at Jack. “Or it’s a severe case of stockholm syndrome,” He shrugged, “but either way I’m ride or die for you, Jackass.”

A smile slowly spread over Jack’s lips, “You were always my bottom bitch, baby.”

“Psshhht.” Tim’s eyes rolled, “Whatever.There were plenty of times when you were on bottom. You love having your own dick in your ass.”

“I can’t wait to get back with you,” Jack dodged. “Somehow… some way… I’m going to get this body business figured out… argh. This is so frustrating. I had access to everything and I still couldn’t kill that little piece of shit.”

“For all we know he died in the crash. You know that death trap didn’t have enough pods for a full evac.” Timothy said, with obvious disapproval.

“Yeah yeah, Hindsight is 20 / 20 and all that. Maybe he is dead, but if he’s not… I’m going to strangle him myself.” Jack pantomimed how he would wring that skinny neck.

“If you can beat me too it, sure.” Tim shook his head, “I’m still mad- so you know. We’re not done with this argument. Hell, we had a pretty bad fight after Angel died. Do you know about it? Do you remember it?”  

“No.” Jack looked out the window and was quiet for a while. “From what I can tell… the last brain scan for Dr. Creeper was completed about six months before meat-Jack died. So don’t remember it… but I heard the echos you left each other.”

“No no no no!” Timothy shouted in his sudden anger. “You don’t get to do that. They were the echos you left me. You don’t get to divorce yourself from yourself because you can’t take responsibility for the shit you went on to do.”

“Fuck, Pumpkin… Time’s up.” He started to stretch out his hand and he dissipated back into the watch.

“Son of a bitch!” Tim pounded on the dashboard and roared uselessly.

When twenty minutes had passed Timothy debated whether or not to release him again. He decided he should just drive.

Distracted by his thoughts, he failed to notice the skag pup before he had crushed it against the grill of his technical.

“Shit!” He snapped to attention in time to see a large pack of skags come barrelling from out behind an outcropping of rocks.  

Timothy flipped up the trigger guard on the front mounted weapons as he jammed his foot down hard on to the breaks. He fired at the beasts, one of which had the temerity to spit acid- though it fortunately missed the vehicle. He shifted into reverse and slammed his foot down on the gas. Though slightly soft from a year of sitting on the couch eating his sorrows away, stunt-driving to avoid certain doom came back to him like riding a bicycle.

As he backed away, he managed to decimate the beasts with the guns just in time to stop before he backed off a ridge.

He shifted back to drive but kept a foot on the breaks, gasping for breath from the shock.

As the dust cleared the alpha skag appeared. It too, was one of those acid spitting monstrosities, but was of immense size.. It’s face split open terribly as it screamed in rage or bloodlust before charging towards the vehicle.

Tim pushed the button on the watch and turned the lever to bring the big gun to bear on the monster.

Jack appeared sitting in the seat next to him, “Listen, Pumpkin.” He trailed off as he spotted the skag, “Oh Shit. I’m on it.” He winked at him and said, “Looks like someone needs a hero.” With that he blinked out of the cab, reappeared outside where he turned his virtual weapon on the beast and fired.

Tim too, blasted it with the machine gun, flooring the technical once more to steer around the beast before it could knock him off the cliff. He narrowly swerved around it and though he was not lucky enough to have the beast charge over the cliff it slowed and turned around, spitting acid at the hologram.

Jack just laughed and kept firing at the beast while shouting abuse like looking heroic if not also somewhat mad.

Timothy planned to find a place to turn around and re-join the attack, the massive beast fell over dead before it could charge again.  When he hit the breaks clouds of dust leapt up into the air behind him. He focused on slowing down his breathing as Jack reappeared in the passenger seat like nothing had happened.

Timothy turned to Jack, and burst into a loud, hysterical laughter.

Jack squinted at him, unsure if this was a good or bad sort of mania.

With a small crunch of metal an unnoticed adult skag smashed itself up the side of the vehicle, jaws snapping.

Without missing a beat, Jack shot the skag, right in the mouth, exploding its head.

Tim found himself sprayed with gore but could only keep laughing.

“Uh…. Let’s get driving.” Jack suggested. “This is like Skag central.”

Timothy wiped his face with a sleeve and kept laughing as he put his foot on the gas. “I missed this. Never thought I’d say that.” He laughed, high and nasally before whining, “Which means I’ve finally completely lost my mind.”

“Thaaaaat’s my little psycho.” Jack said with joyful enthusiasm.

“Remind me to knee you in your new testicles if we manage to get you any.” Timothy gave him a dark, squinty look.

“Uh one, not gonna do that. Two, Push the button when you can. I gotta go.” Jack said.

“Maybe I will… maybe I won’t.” Timothy shrugged.

“Aww, Come on sweet-” He blinked out again, mid sentence.

Timothy didn’t summon him until hours later when he needed Jack on the roof to pick off some rakks.

Though Jack tried to get Timothy to talk to him, he refused. As soon as he was no longer needed Timothy let him fade away.

Eventually Timothy had made camp again. Though still technically what Pandora considered morning, it was growing incredibly hot and he was starting to see a whole lot of bandit activity. As no easy cave was in sight this time, he pulled under an outcropping of rock and decided to just nap a little in the car.

He debated if he should summon Jack or leave him to stew. Loneliness finally drove him to push the button.

Jack was absolutely livid when he appeared in the passenger seat. “So am I just gonna be your genie in a bottle? Rub the lamp when you need some bandits or fauna smashed, but otherwise leave Old Jack to rot in his electronic prison?”

“Jack,” Tim started, but he was talked over.  
“You know what? You aren’t the only one who lost shit, you know. I lost Nisha, Angel, my fucking body, even … Buttstallion.” The look on his face grew sad and shocked as he realized, “She’s dead, isn’t she.”

“Probably.” Tim sighed heavily. “She went… still- like a statue when you died. The guys in R and D thought she was depressed. She was in your old office.”

Jack heaved a sigh, “I still can't believe it’s all gone.”

“I know… and I’m sorry I couldn’t… call you until now.” Tim frowned.

“Uh. Chose not to, you mean.” Jack sounded haughty.

“Well... maybe you need to start learning what it's like to not be listened to.” Timothy said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jack’s brows arched angrily.

“You never listen to me. You always give the damn orders. That’s how you died. Maybe you need to start listening to me from now on. Because I’m not going to let you come back just so you can disregard all my feelings again.”

“Let me? Let me!? Oh ho ho. You little shit. I’m out.” He blinked out again and there was nothing but silence as Timothy waited until the button on the watch had the power to work again.

Jack digistructed into existence and immediately out of it again with a poof of blue floating pixels.

“Damn it, Jack.” Timothy screamed at his wrist and smacked his head back against the headrest of the car seat. He pinched the bridge of his nose and focused on calming down. He counted down the minutes until he could push the button again. At least when Jack only returned for a short time, it took much less time to recharge again.

This went on for roughly fifty minutes before Jack would finally stay. He said nothing when he appeared, just folded his arms in the seat and stared forward.

“I’m sorry I didn’t summon you. I was… am… angry,” Timothy began.

“I get that you’re angry.” Jack sighed, “But I’m finally with you and you won’t have me. It hurts.”

Tim looked at the digistruct, “Truce then. I’ll summon you when I can… if you don’t … disappear, when you don’t have to.”

“Deal.” Jack said. He moved his face up close to Tim’s but not so close that they’d touch.

“It’s a shame that chiseled jaw has to hide under that beard, but I kinda like it. You look good, you know. That little bit of extra meat you put on suits you.”

“When we have a pot to pee in I’ll shave, but for now the beard stays,” Tim smirked, though his smile grew more genuine as he added, “Thanks for the… fat positivity? I think?” He wanted to hold onto all that anger inside him but Jack’s expressive eyes just kept boring into his own.

The hurt slipped away transforming into a sense of longing. By nature an anxious man, Timothy had always struggled with the intensity of the life Jack had introduced him to, but when Jack looked at him like he did now the world slowed down. It soothed something deep inside him. He wished he could kiss Jack’s lips but he would have to settle for the memory and his imagination.

“Welcome, Pumpkin. So, the way I see it, you need to get some sleep and I happen to know just what you need to get yourself ready for some winks.” Jack’s lip pulled up at one corner sharply.

“And what’s that?” Timothy asked skeptically.  

“A good jerk off with Handsome Jack.” He quite literally ghosted a hand just above Timothy’s crotch. “Come on baby, touch yourself.” Jack ran his hands up and down his own digital form, “I could tell you about all the ways I’m going to blow your frickin’ mind when I have a body.”

Tim pouted as he thought about it. “Alright,” he said as he unfastened the front of his pants.

“Well… first off… I’m just going to kiss you so hard.” He bit his virtual lip, “Just- all over that gorgeous body- your lips… your neck.” He said, “Open your shirt too; get those nips out.”

Tim freed his cock- in every way a replica of Jack’s, from his underwear. He paused and pulled his shirt over his head to expose his chest.

“Oh, that’s the stuff.” Jack smiled widely. “There’s that hot bod.”

Tim blushed a little and spit into his hand before wrapping his fingers around his half-hard cock.

Jack shifted his position, like he was on his knees in the seat beside Tim and carefully reached one hand down to flick lightly across the bud of Timothy’s nipple. It felt electric and exciting. There was pain, but pain was never something either of them had minded much in their sex play.

“Ohhh, Jack!” Tim moaned at the unexpected pleasure. It buzzed and throbbed and felt incredible which helped get him well and truly hard. He stroked himself as he looked at the image of Jack across from him.

“Begging for me so soon, Cupcake? I like it.” He floated up, unbound by gravity and  reached out his two forefingers to briefly squeeze Tim’s other nipple and seemed to delight at the way Timothy shook and squirmed beneath him- though Tim never stopped manhandling his dick with his large hand.

He watched a while as Timothy pleasured himself, leaning  closer, “Later I’m going to kiss down to that cock and give you the best damn blow job.” He leaned forward and repeated his digital trick by licking the head of Timothy’s bobbing penis.

Tim cried out again more intensely- it felt wonderful and terrible. It burned and it ached after every jolt of static.

“Eventually, I’m going to have you, Timmy. Just like old times. I’m going to take you so thoroughly you walk funny for a day. Would you like that?”

“Yes.” Tim whimpered. He watched Jack with hungry eyes as he stroked himself, the precome now enough to lube his strokes. His free hand reached up and pinched at his own nipple, “Touch them again,” He demanded, unsatisfied.

“You sure?” Jack’s smile was wicked.

“Yes,” Timothy hissed out, turning to an outrageous moan of pleasure when Jack pinched both pert nipples, stimulating them with the electricity of his current form. Timothy came hard and what didn’t wind up on himself wound up on the steering wheel. He kept stroking himself through this sorely needed release. Everything in his body that was tense had gone loose.

Jack’s face crept closer like he were going to lay his lips against Timothy’s own, but he abruptly said, “Aw, Crap,” and disappeared again.

Sighing, Tim used his shirt to wipe down the mess. It wasn't the first time he had been left by Jack alone and covered in cum. It was seeming now like it would not be the last, either. That was something. He stuffed his spent cock back in his pants and closed his eyes for that nap.


End file.
